Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 59 of 140}

It is unbelieveable how this drug has gotten such rave reviews yet no one seems to know about all the negitive side effects. I was fearful for a while that it had damaged my brain! It is a scary situation but to those who are weaning off, this too shall pass. Don't worry. You will be okay. Just be strong, talking about it really helped me out with my detox.
Laurel! I have missed you too! I am glad to see that you are still posting! I am hoping to have more computer access very soon! So I would love to find out how things are going with you! And of course everyone else!
Take care all,
Hugs and prayers
Elena

Not a good day, I am now 3.5 weeks off and am seriously doubting my ability to stay of meds all together. I know this is temporary and that I will get through this but man, why does life have to be so hard? I am feeling so foggy that if I am trying to do anything and something interrupts me, then I totally forget what I was doing and am not able to concentrate. The St. John's Wort is definately helping because I don't feel like everything is spinning around me but some clarity in life sure would be nice.

Oh to stop feeling sorry for ones self, that sure would help.

Kerry

Kerry, Your post does not sound very incouraging. today I started half of 37.5. Just before I took my dose, I started feeling the withdrawl symptoms, and as soon as I took even this small amount, I felt better. Now I am supposed to skip a dose tomorrow and then just half of 37.5 the next day. this for a week and then stop. I am dreading tomorrow and really dreading the day I stop! I'll keep everyone up to date with my progress

Oh my, I wasn't trying to discourage anyone.....I hope I didn't come across that way. I am 100% confident that coming off Effexor was and is the right thing to do, I was just airing my despair.

Personally, I did not find the every other day dosage did me any good. I get withdrawal by missing one dose so instead I just halved my 37.5 dose for several weeks and then took the plunge. All this after a year of tapering down very gradually from 150 mg.

I am going through alot of problems both at work and home that are certainly adding to my down thoughts, all bad timing I guess. I know this is just another hurdle that I will overcome, just gotta learn a little patience.......lol

Kerry

Kerry, I'm not discouraged, I know I have to do this. just glad I found this forum, otherwise I would probably not even attempt weening of. I tried going cold turkey, but that was not the way to go. Started the weening process four weeks ago and I'm gonna try the every other day dose for a while.... the weekend is coming up, and hopefully I can get thru it. If not, I'll do as you did, take the half dose every day and then try to even half that one for a couple of weeks. My husbands been gone all this time and I was hoping to be done with this by the time he comes back in two weeks.
Also hope to have my labido back by then

It has been 3 days and totaly off E from 150 to zero. This has taken 3 weeks. So far here are my results per my previous posts. The feeling of heavy heart beats have subsided. I have noticed after i eat, drink coffee or coke that my HR goes up and started to have more brain spikes. In the last 24 hours my brain spikes seemed less but occassionlay come back but again seems less. Toninght I had my first sence of saddness in years, right now its an emotion that I have not had for some time cause E causes no emotion, kinda of a plato on emotions. Felt good to have an emotion but hope the emotions get squirely. In summary I feel less drugged and somewhat less brain spiky but not 100% yet, I say better than 75% from 60%. I will give it another 2 or so weeks before I go on 5 HTP and hope to not need that. Again I have a great dr that supports me, a great wife that understands and we all together work out the isses. I hope you all have the same..

A little post on my brain spikes. To explain how I feel comes with focusing on an item or moving my eyes cause some brain impluses to shoot across my frontal or internal mass areas. Not painful but a sense of dizzyes via low grade electrical charges that "spike" the brain area. Again taking coffee, soda and food intake seems to cause this to be worse as I am tailoring off to zero E. At this time I am looking for PHD studies to this phenomioum but have yet to have some DR to explain. Will contiue looking.

Hi Everyone.
Dear Kerry, I understand that this is super hard. I had such a difficult time with it. But what I had to do eventually was break the pill in half and divide up the beads within the gel casing. I went down to the lowest possible dose before skipping a day. I found it was easier that way.Is that what you are doing? Or are you not at that point yet? Life is deffinatly hard, but as you said, it's one of the hurdles and you will get over it!
TCOKC
I aggree that caffine and some foods really added to the brain zaps. I took ginger pills for that, and it really helped! It stopped the vertigo for a while.
Take care all
Hugs
Elena

Dear Jami,

I noticed that you are occationally on this site and I was hoping that you could help me out with a couple of questions I have. I have been effexor free for 6 months now, and this past month I have felt like I need to go on another anti dep or anti anxiety drug. I am having a really hard time! The worries that go through my mind are at times irrational and frightning, and it is hurting me and my life. I read that you felt that way at one point and I was wondering if you could let me know how you got through it? I dont want to get back on a drug, but I really want to feel better! Oh and I am so glad for you that everything is going well!
And Bonnie, I dont know if you are still on this site, but how have you been doing with not being on effexor? I remember we went off it around the same time! How are you?

Thank you for your time,
Hugs
Elena

Hi Elena, thank you for your words of encouragement, I was starting to think I had done a bad thing by posting and bringing everyone else down when all I was looking for was a word or two of support (but that is probabaly just my paranoia right now that the world is against me...lol). I am actually completely off effexor for nearly 4 weeks now. I couldn't handle the idea of going beyond splitting the capsules in half, which I did for probably 3 months. I decided to take the plunge and go from 19 mg to nothing. The physical withdrawal is all gone but now I am dealing with the emotional backlash. I am on 900 mg a day of St. Johns Wort so I honestly didn't expect this, I figured the Effexor amount I was on was just for addiction and could not be dealing with my emotions still but maybe I was wrong.

Anyways, thank so much. I do feel a little better today so hopefully it isn't just because something hasn't upset me yet (lol, wow is my glass half empty or half full or what!!!!).

Kerry

Okay, so yesterday I did 19mg for the first time and today I should take none. Noticed last night already the brain spikes, but was able to handle them ok. My sleep seemd more disturbed last night and I woke early, lots of brain spikes and dizzy feeling. Am suposed to skip a dose today... we'll see if I can do it.
Kerry, I welcomed your post... It is important to know the truth about what I might have to face while going thru this. Hope I can be as strong as you doing it. One good thing that is happening with this process.... I'm reading a lot about how to cleanse my body, I have started to eat more healthy, although I find that I am constantly eating.
Kerry, you said you took E for addiction, When I first got on E I noticed that I did not feel like binging on food as much and now while trying to get off it I find myself obsessed with food again. I took E for depression. Although realized after going on E that I must have had a lot of anxiety before since that went away as well. Now I must deal with all that again, but I am really only now becoming aware of the extend of my issues. I guess it's a good thing, but it sure does not feel like it.
I've heard a lot about 5 HTP, it sounds like it does a similar thing than E, but has anybody tried to stop taking it and what kind of withdrawls does it have?
Has anyone tried HGH? Any feedback on that?
D

D, what I meant was that I felt that I was just taking the 19 mgs of Effexor because of the addiction to it and to avoid the withdrawal. I was also put on Effexor for depression eminating from Post Partum.

I have not been on 5-HTP but it is natural (and definately not a pharmaceutical product) and is the precurser to serotonin so the body takes it and turns it into serotonin which is what we are lacking. From what I know there are no withdrawals from coming off it. I am on St Johns Wort which naturally does what anti-depressants do. I am planning on asking my naturopath about 5-HTP tomorrow, I believe you have to be careful because serotonin overdose isn't good either so I am not sure if a serotonin producer and serotonin reuptake inhibitor is a good combination. I can post after my appt and let you know what she says.

Kerry

Kerry, would love to know what your naturpath tells you. The more info from various sources the better.
thanks,
D

After quitting E, I started 5-HTP and SAM-E, three times a day. It took about a week or so, but I am feeling MUCH better without E! My anxiety has decreased about 90%, I feel almost 100% better...happier, sleeping a normal night's sleep and not for 12+ hours as I was before and I would HIGHLY recommend these two natural 'drugs?' for anyone suffering from depression. If you take 5-HTP alone, it's a GREAT thing to help you fall asleep. I take the 5-HTP with SAM-e. SAM-e is the most used 'drug' in Europe (Germany) and is used as a natural anti-depressant. It's good to go off these things either once or twice a week or after a few (3) months, just so that you don't build resistance towards it.

I'm on the one day on, one day off 19mg program now... yesterday first day off... had a terrible night, little sleep had these zings in my brain as if there are fire crackers going of in my head.
Today I feel just like I did when I tried to get off E cold turkey from 150mg... so what's the purpose in going off slow if you have to go thru the same withdrawls... This morning I took another 19mg, have an important meeting and need my wits about me.... Perhaps I will take most of yours path and just keep halfing what I'm taking every 2 weeks and not do every other day.
Did some research on SAM-e, it sounds better than 5-HTP to me, apparently there are some sexual and other side effects from 5-HTP. Any feedback?

Cathrine and Doris,
I love your determination. I admire your strength during this tough time. I wonder if these natural rememdies could be helpful to me as well... I would rather go the natural route for my anxiety and I
really do not want to get back on the Effexor.
As for going off of it slowly or quickly, I found it time consuming but better for me personally to get off of this med slowly. It is however totally up to you.
Wishing you both well,
Elena

update, ive been completely off e for about 2 weeks, after weaning down from 75 mg to 1/4 that. the symptoms are about the same as when i tried to quit cold turkey off of 75mg, only its like listemning to a stereo at a much lower volume, the notes are the same just less intense. i was curious about how long the aferage time for wuthdrawl symptoms lasts, if anyone has an answer that would be great.

jerm

Happy Friday to the Effexor Posse,

I was reading something earlier today -- can't vouch for the science behind it but thought I'd share it -- about antidepressant withdrawal. It was from someone in the Netherlands, and his recommendation was to be very gentle with one's body after going of these drugs, avoiding lots of stimulation and keeping unnecessary chemicals out. Take time to heal before trying the "natural" remedies such as St. John's Wort and SAM-E, as they also stir up the serotogenic activity in the overwhelmed brain. Lots of fruits and veggies, water, and saunas seemed high on his list.

Like I said, I'm just passing along something I read that may or may not be useful to us here. Sorry I didn't capture the URL, but if I find it again, I'll pass it along.

Laurel

Jerm, my name is Elena and I have been Effexor free since August 2005. Weaning off was a pain in the *ss but it was worth it. It is obviously not a good perscription to be on.
I personally experienced withdrawl symptoms for a while after. To be brutally honest, I am going through a relapse right now. But don't worry that doesn't happen to everyone.I am sure that this relapse will pass too, Jami did say she went through something similar. I think that what Laurel wrote about avoiding lots of stimulation and being gentle with the body and keeping all chemicals out is a good idea. I still do an occational sauna and episom salt bath on occation and it really relaxes me. Also try ginger tablets for vertigo/dizziness. It really helped me, and lot's of water. Try to get some exersize too if you can.
Anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend.
Hugs and Prayers
Elena

greetings to everyone out there in effexor hell!

i have been reading your forum with much interest & empathy, as i only learned 2 days ago that i am also physically & psychologically addicted to effexor. reading what some of you have gone through on a day to day basis, your suggestions to alleviate discomfort (to put it mildly), & your support to one another have given me the inspiration i need to take my life back, with the realiztion that there really is light at the end of the tunnel. eventually.

a brief history; i've been a laid-back, logical person with regard to how i deal with everything in my life. (i did not have a problem with depression previously) i've just been given a clean bill of health after a 1 1/2 year battle with breast cancer. from the first chemo treatment, my emotions all went off the deep end, & my sense of logic went out to lunch; my oncologist prescribed effexor 37.5mg daily to counter my "chemical imbalance"(?). after i completed my chemotherapy (about 8 months ago), i tried many times to cut back & discontinue this med, because i couldn't deal with the "emotional flatline" & "sexual dysfunction". everytime i had a major meltdown, i thought there was still something very wrong with me & went back on the med. the last time i wanted to blow my brains out. luckily the logical part of me convinced the psychotic part not to do it. after i got back on my med, i decided to do some research & found out i am not alone.

this morning i decided to start modifying my med intake; i was taking a 75mgXR every other night. i took 1/2 of the little beads this morning. i was never able to get up for work in the mornings, but i thought the fatigue was my body's slow recovery from my cancer treatments. also i would start to feel "wierd" about 4-5pm, & "run out of gas" around 7pm.

i'm hoping that by participating in the forum, i will have the strength to get through this, and offer hope to others, as they have done for me. i feel that if i beat cancer, i can beat anything! i feel now that i am on a mission for another very difficult conquest!

i'll keep you posted as to my progress (?) i hope any of you can offer your best suggestions to make my life in hell easier. thanks & god bless to all who can help me!

Ruthie

p.s. jami, if you still read the forum, i was particularly inspired by you, more so than anyone else. i hope you are doing well now, & god bless you.

I am now 5 days totaly off E and my brain spikes have subsided to alomost zero plus I worked out today, 3rd time this week, and I felt great. I had a wonderful day without any issues like before. Yesterday I went to my Dr and had another EKG on my heart, because those who have followed my earlier post I have some issues with High heart rate and some BP issues. EKG was GREAT and my BP was high. Mr DR said "if he was a betting man I would be going back on some ANTI.Dep but encourges ME to continue to work out and try to keep my SERITONIN levels up via what ever means possible. Right now today was the best I have ever felt since brain spikes from October and high HR from early year. All points right now OFF E is paying off. Good luck all as I continue to see my healing process of E and HOPE I dont have to go back on any ANTI D again. IF so its 5 HTP for me for another post and trial basis! A friend to all how reads this...

Elena I happened to check into site today only because my aunt called me today to tell me that I was her new hero (she has been weaning down for a month off of 75mg) She needed some mental support. She just couldn't believe I went cold turkey and I assured her it was a personal preference not the standard of how she had to do this.

I also mentioned something about the question you posed to me above about having some recurring bouts with being down. I did have a couple weeks of really bad depression around the 5-6 month mark after effexor and I really just threw myself into keeping busy and most of it was outside in the sun since the sun has some natural benefits on moods etc I think that may have helped. I really just refused to get sucked in though I don't say it is the way to handle depression episodes because I would hate to downplay anyones symptoms by saying they were "letting" themselves get sucked in...it sort of makes it sound like a person must be weak and I don't buy that for a minute but having a past with depression (10years) I think that sometimes we are quick to freak ourselves out when we have a period of sadness or hit a rocky point.

That said I have made some very very strict standards in my daily life. First and foremost I will not let myself get sucked into others drama or depressive state...I am supportive to friends of course that need an ear but I will listen and give my opinion if asked....then I have to LET IT GO. I have no idea if this applies to you Elena but I really have a tendancy to feed off my environment. I try to keep myself surrounded by people and circumstances that are not overly emotional.

I dont knock depression meds at all...I DOOOO knock effexor because it is so habit forming etc and it should have a warning label but all I can say is take time for yourself, get some excersize, some sun and surround yourself in positiveness and if your still feeling down talk to a professional and if you have to go on some different meds don't feel like you have failed...just make sure where your depression is coming from....environment vs medical necessity. Big Hugs Elena.

Jami

Ruthie I just saw your post and I am so glad that your logical side won out over the suicidal thoughts. Congratulations on your brave and successful fight with cancer ...that just shows your a fighter! You can lick this medicine ...if I can..anyone can!

I never understood what drug addicts in rehab were talking about when they said they took it day-by-day. That is how my exit from effexor had to be approached for at least 2 months after the last dose. Day-by-day how sad that a medicine prescribed to help those weakened by depression can bring you so low when you feel you need to quit.

I am glad that my posts helped someone...even if it was only one person writing them is hard for me to go back and read sometimes. I had to leave the site for a few months because it was just too painful. It is still hard for me to look back and see the person I was when I was on the meds. I was a sad pathetic shell of the woman I am now. I can see the light in my husbands eye again and he still tells me how close he was too just leaving..I was no longer the person he had married back then. He is happy to have his wife back and participating in life and I am glad to be here too :)

If you have anything specific to ask...ask away! I can share what I experienced along with the other gals that shared here. I know there are a lot of pages now and it is hard to pick a place to start reading. The road wont be easy and at times your body will be screaming at you to take this just so you can feel "normal" but those shall fade away in time and the veil will be lifted and youll see life in technicolor again and it sure is beautiful!

::wraps ya in a big hug::

god bless you too hun

Jami

Anyone seen Fruitbat (sara) she should have had that baby by now or close too!!! I wana know all about it!

Jami

Thank you soooo much Jami
I really appreciate your reply. I do agree that I do take from my environment just as you do. I am a very emotionally sensitive person. I deffinatly was quick to freak out when I hit that rocky point! I did not let myself have a down point I just freaked out cause I was down, which made it worse!
I am gonna get back into the things that really helped me, like working out, yoga and theraputic baths and saunas. I think that change is a big problem with me and when I sense it I just have a hard time accepting it!
Anyway, I gotta run, literally! Thank you again for your kind reply, and your warm hug! Sending one back your way!
Elena

Oh I wanna hear about Fruit bat's baby too!!
And I wanna hear from Bonnie! I'm thinking of you!

wow, jami, you're my hero, too. i was very happy to hear from you right away. i also should give regent very honorable mention, too. she had alot of very good suggestions, and she went through so much. i keep reading back through the archives & taking lots of notes; i know i'll need all the help i can get. when i read about the problems others have, i feel like mine are small in comparison, & i can definitely beat this thing now that i know what to expect. and as i stated before, i didn't previously have a problem with depression. at least i have that on my side; i've read where some of you have had recurring bouts with depression, even after kicking the habit. i do have an old, but very good natural remedy consisting of a regimin of vitamins to beat depression. i will find the "recipe" & share it with you next week.

today is day 2 of med intake modification plan. this morning i took the other half of the little beads from a 75. tomorrow i don't work, & i plan to skip a dose tomorrow. i had to go to work early today, & i really didn't get enough sleep. i think your suggestion about sleep is a pretty logical one(!); i'm dizzy & my eyesight is worse than usual.

it was interesting to learn that the drug messes with vision; i thought for sure i was going to have to get glasses; i have to have everybody in my family read small print for me; everything is a blur. so my vision should improve after i stop taking the med?

while i was on chemo, i lost 35 lbs. i guess i was lucky i had gained a little extra weight previous to becoming ill, or i probably would've died. i was pleased with that side effect of the chemo, but it's definitely a weight loss plan i wouldn't recommend to anyone else!! unfortunately, i gained almost all of it back, & i thought it was just because i was eating again, but definitely not overeating. now i learn that this damn drug made me get heavy again after i was looking great. does the weight just start to come off once the med is discontinued, or am i gonna have to get cancer again to be thin? jami, i remember it was an issue for you; how are doing with your weight now? what about anyone else? or do you really have to work hard to take it off? i plan to be exercising to release those natural endorphines that are available for the taking...but not today!

my boss needs me to type up something for him, so i must sign off. i know i will have alot more questions for all of you. thanks again to all who help me!

Ruthie